Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 125, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 November 1904 — WASHINGTON GOSSIP [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WASHINGTON GOSSIP

The commissioner of the general land office has issued the following statement Intended for the protection of old soldiers contemplating settling on public lands: “Information ban been received at the general land office that designing persons are circn* la ting reports through Indiana and perhaps elsewhere, to the effect that old sojdiers are entitled to enter pnblic lands, particularly In western Nebraska, and receive patent therefor without residing upon or enltlvatinw the lands, as other persons are required to do. This report is false. The only favor given to old soldiers by the homestead laws which is not granted to other persons, is that of being permitted to make his first filing through an agent and to have the time of his service deducted from the five years which homestead entrymen are required to reside upon the land. This latter privilege is enjoyed by ail soldiers who served for ninety days in the war of the rebellion, after they have actually resided upon the land for one year. The only soldiers who are permitted to acquire title to lands without establishing a bona fide residence and having a home thereon, are those who made entry of less than 160 acres under the homestead laws prior to June 22, 1874. Any soldier having made entry prior to that date of less than 160 acres, is now entitled to enter so much lands as would, when added to the lands already entered, make a total of 100 acres, and upon making such an entry he receives patent without having to reside upon the land.” Next to the Presidency, the control of the House of Representatives in the next Congress is the most important result at issue in the approaching national election. The Republican majority In the Senate Is too large to be imperiled by the election. But in the present House the Republicans have a Majority of only 84, Tile membership, exclusive o- 4 vacancies, is: Republicans, 208; Democrats, 172; Union Labor Democrats, 2. There are 30 Democrats and 26 Republicans who hold their seats by pluralities of less than 2,000 votes. These districts ore generally regarded as debatable. It Is the expectation that whichever party elects its candidate for President will elect also a majority of the House. This hag been true in every Presidential election since 1872, with the exception of 1876. Agents who have been gathering information for the Department of Commerce and Labor in regard to the beef trust lave about completed their work. Among the complaints is one that agents of the trust, at certain seasons, offer farmers the trust prices for cattle. If refused, the trust, it is charged, by means of its power with the railroads, holds up the farmers’ supply of cattle feed, compelling sales at whatever figures the combine desires. “We have found,” says the report, “that the buyers of the packers nee speculating, cornering markets, and doing other things that border on the illegal. So far, however, we have been unable to convict any one of controlling the prices for the whole country or manipulating them for the benefit of the so-called trust.” The officials of the United States Department of Agriculture were recently much amused by a letter sent the department by an occasional correspondent In Virginia. Among othw things, the writer hastened to advise Secretary Wilson to this effect: “My wife has a Tame cat that dyd. Being a Torturesbell and a Grate faverit, we had the same berred in the Gardln, and for the enrichment of the soil I had the Carkis deposited under the rotos of a Gooseberry Bash. (The Prate being up to then of the smooth varriety.) But the next Season’s Frute, after the Cat was berred. the Gooseberryg was all Hairy—and more Remarkable, the Caterpllers cf the Same Bush was All of said Hairy description.” When the cutom house at Bltka was cleaned recently, the first official document Issued there after the United States took possession of what had been Russian America was brought to light. It was the registration of the steamer Fideliter. dated “New Archangel,” the former name of Sitka, October 28, 1867." It has been framed and hung in the custom house. With It was a passport signed by Prince Maksutoff, the last Russian governor, who wrote himself, “His Imperial Majesty's Naval Post Captain and Knight. Acting Governor of the Russian Colonies In America.” The National Spiritualists' Association at St. Louis declined the challenge of the National Anti-Mediums’ Association for a demonstration by a medium before a committee from each organization. Walter S. Keene, leather merchant of Stoneham, Mass., has filed a petition in bankruptcy, with liabilities at $252,782 and assets at $11,615. Gov. Chamberlain and a distinguished party from Connecticut assisted in the dedication of the Connecticut monument on the Chattanooga battlefield. Ralph Rogers, a member of the junior class of Wofford College, Bpartanaburg, 8. C.. was accidentally killefi white playing with a revolver.